Fedora

And Red Hat-Based Distributions

Windows

Installation

Note:
This page describes the installation and usage of the precompiled packages provided above. For better performance, you might also consider to compile the miner
source code
on the machine where it is intended to be used.

The Nimiq Creators are driven by the ultimate life goal to contribute something to society that is meaningful, large scale and cutting edge. Building the Nimiq Network and Ecosystem lives up to those ambitions while the teams combined talents and skillsets secure the capacity to implement them.

Chris Mo’e

Video Documentation & Social Media

Curd Becker

System Virtuoso

Curd is a hardware and network systems security expert at heart. He studied computer science at Saarland University, specializing early on in system administration and moving up to Head of Information Technology at CISPA (Center for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Accountability). At CISPA he managed heterogeneous hardware and software platforms across a mix of 70+ physical and virtual servers. Curd volunteered as "Programming for Engineers" tutor for refugees during the immigration wave that particularly challenged Germany. He has a personal passion for operating systems with a focus on security testing and reverse engineering. Several hardware security projects he worked on are strictly confidential.

Daniel Mohr

Ecosystem & UI/UX Developer

Research assistant at German research center for AI working on intelligent User Interfaces. Computer Science Tutor and TA at SU. Passion for implementing progressive App responsive UIs and front-ends.

Elion Chin

Nimiq Creator, Operations

Cofounder, Investor and CFO of Silicon Valley based MoodLogic Inc. sold 2006 to AMG (now publicly listed ROVI). PhD (s.c.l) in Economics at Swiss University of St. Gallen and visiting PhD at Stern School of Business, NYU. Built the Silicon Paradise Tech movement in Costa Rica and SkyLoft as secluded incubation base for ideas and early stage startups. Collaboration with Carao Ventures on vetting and supporting startups and professional efforts with high social or ecological impact.

Jeffrey Esquivel

Blockchain Core Developer

Likes to talk binary to chips. The asynchronous nature of JavaScript reminds him of hardware interrupts. Expert on automatic testing frameworks, continuous delivery servers and supporting infrastructure for software projects. At his day job he codes low level software abstraction layers (SDKs) to configure the behavior of custom made Application Specific Integrated Circuits contained in enterprise class networking equipment. Deployed several BIND DNS Servers (with custom-compiled multi­threading support) at a national scale for a major ISP.

Julian Bauer

UI/UX Designer & Developer

Co-owner ‘overnice’ branding and digital communication agency. Consulted the German Foreign Ministry on digital matters. Established a delivery platform for Subway Germany. Frontend developed the Skype Bot Developers Platform. Strong passion for both the big picture as well as attention to detail in UI and UX implementation.

Marvin Wissfeld

Blockchain Core Developer

Presenter at 2017 IEEE Symposium on Security & Privacy in Silicon Valley. At age 14 earned first pocket money through his webpage. One of the youngest mentors at Google Summer of Code, Expert on Malware Analysis, Mobile and Web Security. Personal passion for Privacy Engineering, all matters Android and Cryptography.

Mauricio Lara

Counsel & Representation

Mauricio is a Costa Rican attorney and member of both the Costa Rican and American Bar Association. He is also a member of the Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists (www.acfcs.org), a leading authority in compliance and financial regulation. He is a partner of InterTax, a legal and accounting services firm with offices in Weston, Brickell and Orlando, FL and San José, Costa Rica and has been advising crypto businesses since early 2014. Mauricio has been invited as speaker to multiple conferences regarding banking, digital payments, cryptocurrencies and regulation for crypto related businesses and compliance. His paper “The Last Decade of Cash” was presented at the Costa Rican International Information Technology Forum 2014. Mauricio is an avid surfer, a long-distance triathlete and cross country mountain biker. He is passionate about evangelizing governmental authorities on distributed ledger technology and applications for law and government and foresees public service in his future.

Maximilian Harz

Ecosystem & UI/UX Developer

As curious and explorative child learned what it meant to 'format' a disk the hard way by formatting the only available disk with games on it. When Internet arrived at his home, young Max started to create websites and soon had his own browser games running. Thought it would be fun to study Computer Science. Did several tutor jobs at SU including on topics cryptography and concurrent programming. Worked as full stack web developer on intranet projects for global enterprises. Max worked with and against some of the ugliest business APIs and always succeeded.

Pascal Berrang

Blockchain Researcher & Core Developer

PhD (s.c.l.) in Computer Science (focus on Security & Privacy) at SU with over a dozen publications and several scholarships. Member of saarsec CTF team scoring 3rd at RuCTFE 2015, 2nd at iCTF 2015 and 2nd at RuCTF 2016. Organizing Committee Member for the 1st IEEE European Symposium on Security & Privacy. Hiring committee member for professorships at SU. Former TA for Cyber Security & Mathematics for Computer Science. Loves challenges that seem impossible and has a personal passion for distributed systems.

Philipp von Styp-Rekowsky

Nimiq Creator, Blockchain Tech Lead

BA at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence. MA at Max Planck Institute for Computer Science. PhD student to Professor Michael Backes at the Information Security and Cryptography Group at CISPA (Center for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Accountability). Built award-winning software AppGuard (over 2 million downloads, German IT Security Award) and Boxify (CeBIT Innovation Award). Published in several journals and technical reports. Personal passion for Blockchain technology and making security usable without compromising.

Philipp Tschabold

Philipito's Kitchen

(during Hackathons)

After years of working as passionate chef and restaurateur in and around Switzerland, Philipp decided to change things up and follow a free-spirited version of his passion. He set out to create and deliver culinary experiences as a service on sail boats touching some of the most beautiful places around the globe. One of his stops introduced him to a very special part of Costa Rica where he found his love, tranquility and a new home. Philipp met one of the Nimiq team members a few years ago and supports the project during Hackathons for minimal workflow disruption on site and providing a balanced & healthy diet for maximum productivity.

Ricardo Barquero

Community Manager

Telecom Engineer by profession. Cryptocurrency evangelist by choice. Personal projects from CAD application for submarine fiber optic cable comm to developing a synthesizable model of an educational CPU. Life mission to digitalize & monitor every entropic variable in today's world led to speaking at Nagios World Conference 2014. Linux and Networking Instructor at Greencore Solutions. Responsible for running entire backbone infrastructure for largest Cable & Internet Provider in Costa Rica. Technical writer at leading WebRTC company TokBox.

Sebastian Dietel

Ecosystem & UI/UX Developer

Sebastian read his first book about programming at the age of 13 and not much later launched his first proper website. Driven by the question ‘What else can I make this machine do?’ he studied Computer Science at SU. He worked as a full stack web developer for almost a decade and delivered a number of award nominated sites for MA-X new media agency. Sebastian loves to challenge himself to learning new things and has a personal passion for implementing uncluttered and intuitive interfaces.

Sören Schwert

Ecosystem & UI/UX Developer

Studied Aerospace Engineering in the UK. Worked as requirements engineer and developed a keen eye for detail and perfectionism. As passionate Javascript coder, Nimiq's first Hacker News post was his perfect excuse to dive head-first into blockchains and cryptocurrencies. Sören is an avid follower and active community member and created the first Nimiq blockchain explorer nimiq.watch. He now applies his problem-solving skills to user-interfaces and helps new developers get started in the Nimiq ecosystem.

Sui-Ju Chuang (穗如)

Communication & Research

Studied Information Management and worked at HTC headquarters in Taiwan. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese and English, while determined to become fluent in German as well. During work and travel in the US, Australia, and Europe she discovered her passion for cultures, languages, and communications. She is an optimist with love for simplicity and excited about a better future with blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies.

Sven Buschbeck

Communications, UI/UX Development, Technical Documentation

Sven started hacking web apps in the mid 90ies at the age of twelve on a dial-up modem and holds a degree in computer science and media design, specializing on human-computer interaction. He is an advocate for diversity and sustainability, keen on learning, writing, and living outdoors. Worked as web technology consultant and in scientific research at the University of Trento, Italy, and the German Institute for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Has lived and worked in four out of seven continents.

Tammo Mamedi

UI/UX Design

Co-owner ‘overnice’ branding and digital communication agency. Built experience and portfolio at Jung von Matt. Consulted the German Foreign Ministry on digital matters. Food entrepreneur. Personal passion for communication strategies and helping early stage ventures get it right.

Alumni

Amy Zhang

Communication & Research

(Alumna)

Arthur Gervais

Blockchain Security Scientist

(Alumnus)

Arthur is a Lecturer (equivalent Assistant Professor) at Imperial College London and at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU). He earned his PhD thesis on Blockchain Security and Privacy at ETH Zurich. He has authored several influential peer-reviewed scientific articles published at top-tier security conferences. Arthur is co-founder of the ChainSecurity AG, the first company to provide an automated formal verification tool for Ethereum smart contracts (www.securify.ch). The Team is honored to have him look over their shoulders, provide hands-on help and share valuable scientific insights as well as trigger continuous research on topics relevant for the longevity of Nimiq.

Robin Linus

Nimiq Creator, Blockchain & Ecosystem Architect

(Alumnus)

White Hat, native speaker of Javascript. Designed, developed and open-sourced Snapdrop with more than 500’000 unique visitors since launch. Published privacy tools like Webkay to uncover personal data exposure with over 1.5 million visitors since launch. Revealed security issues through penetration testing (including Twitter and Google). Cofounded Edutech Startup collaborating with ETH Zurich and Humboldt University Berlin. Implemented the world's first prototype of a browser-based Blockchain. Unwavering passion for the full spectrum of the web platform, ranging from UI design to Progressive Web Apps, scalability, performance and security.

Top Questions

What are NIM?

NIM is the token of the Nimiq Mainnet Blockchain. A total of 2.52 billion NIM were created in the Genesis Block during the Launch of the Mainnet. The minimum unit of NIM is called a luna and 100,000 luna equal 1 NIM. After the Launch of the Mainnet, NIM are rewarded to miners as described below in the technical section of this FAQ.

What are Testnet NIM and what is the Testnet for?

The Testnet is where new features get released and tested first before they hit the Mainnet. The NIM you mine or transact in the Testnet are Testnet NIM. Testnet NIM are not compatible with the Mainnet and are for testing only.

What are NET?

NET was an ERC-20 (Ethereum-based) token distributed during the contribution period. NET was replaced with NIM during the activation period. A total of 10'500'000 NET were distributed. NET are deactivated now. For more information see: And then there was only NIM.

Is NIM supported by hardware wallets?

Yes, there is an official app for the Ledger Nano S. Usage instructions can be found here.

About Nimiq

What is Nimiq?

Nimiq is a browser-based Blockchain designed for simplicity. Nimiq’s reason for existence is to bring the benefits of blockchain technology to the mainstream. To achieve that purpose Nimiq has been built from the ground up to address and break the barriers to entry that inhibit the mainstream adoption of blockchain technologies. Nimiq is encompassed by a strong philanthropic mindset, it will always remain open-source and community-driven.

What sets Nimiq apart from Bitcoin, Ethereum et al?

Main differentiators:

Nimiq's single purpose is to solve the payment protocol problem. Simple, fast and secure payments from User A to User B.

Browser-based and installation-free since it is written in Javascript ES6 and communicates via WebSockets + WebRTC for connecting to the network without a trusted third party.

Account Recovery Words: 24 word list from which the private key and its corresponding Nimiq Account can be recovered. Not to be confused with the 24 Ledger Nano S Recovery Words.

Passphrase: Minimum 10 character user-defined sentence/phrase used to encrypt and decrypt the Account Access File and private key for the corresponding Nimiq Account. This allows Account import/export from its Access File and authorizing/signing transactions involving the corresponding Nimiq Account.

Nimiq Identicon: Visual representation of your Nimiq Account number. The Identicon is close to unique for each Account and is meant to help with more easily identifying your own different Accounts as well as destination Accounts relevant to your transactions. For security reasons always reconfirm the actual Account numbers before authorizing a transaction.

If I open a Nimiq Ecosystem Application in different browsers will I get different Wallets?

Yes, each time you open Nimiq Applications with a new browser, created wallets (Private/Public keys) will be stored locally in that browser. In the Nimiq Safe, wallets can be imported and exported, thus, can be exported from one into another browser. If using a Ledger Nano S, the keys are stored on the Ledger and the device can directly be used on multiple computers/browsers without the need to export the keys.

What is the Nimiq Safe?

The Nimiq Safe is a free and open-source, client-side user interface. It allows you to interact directly with the Nimiq blockchain while remaining in full control of your keys and your funds. You and only you are responsible for your security.

What do I have to keep in mind to use the Ecosystem Apps in a safe way?

The most secure way to access your funds is via the official Nimiq app for the Ledger Nano S hardware wallet. Although the use of a hardware wallet is not a necessity, it is highly recommended as it helps prevent typical phishing attacks and theft by infected computers.

Phishers might send you a message with a link to a website that looks just like the Nimiq Safe, PayPal, or your online banking, but it is not the real website. They steal your information and then steal your money.

We cannot recover your funds or freeze your account if you visit a phishing site or lose your private key.

Always validate the URL: https://safe.nimiq.com

Manually type this in the URL address bar of your browser, check spelling and bookmark the URL. Do not trust links sent to you via email, Slack, Reddit, Twitter, etc. Always navigate directly to https://nimiq.com before you enter any security relevant information.

The only authorized view that will ever ask you for your Pass Phrase, PIN or 24 Recovery Words is triggered by your security relevant account actions in the Nimiq Safe that prompt the: "Nimiq Keyguard" at https://keyguard.nimiq.com/...

Install an ad blocker and do not click on ads in your search engine (e.g. Google).

What's the best way to backup my access information?

Make a backup of your 24 Recovery Words and Pass Phrase. Do NOT just store them on your computer. Print or write them down on a piece of paper. Store one ore more copies of this paper in one or more secure and private physical locations. A backup is not useful if it is destroyed by a fire or flood along with your laptop. Do not store your recovery words in Dropbox, Google Drive, or other cloud storage. If such account were to be compromised, your funds will be stolen.

What happens if I lose my access information?

If you lose your Recovery Words, Pass Phrase or PIN, they are gone forever. Don’t lose them. Make sure you have a backup.

Is the balance of my account cleared if I delete my cookies?

No, the balance of your account is not stored in your browser but in the Nimiq blockchain. The browser only stores the access to the funds for you. This access is stored in the browser offline data. Thus, the access gets only lost when the browser deletes the offline data, not by deleting the cookies. Nonetheless, it's important that your always backup your account access via Account Access File or 24 Recovery Words.

No, they are not compatible by design. The idea of a hardware wallet is that it prevents access to the private key from the computer, especially from infected computers. Thus, neither the Ledger Nano S Recovery Words should be imported to your computer, nor should the the Recovery Words generated on your computer be imported into the Ledger. If you loose your Ledger Nano S, the recommended way to recover your funds from your Ledger Recovery Words is to import the Ledger Recovery Words into another Ledger Nano S device.

Technical

Is Nimiq browser-only?

Not at all, we designed Nimiq to be able to run in your browser without extra software. That doesn’t mean it works only in your browser. You can use any device that supports Node.js to run a Backbone Client.

What are your thoughts on Proof of Stake?

We are very excited about the technology but we feel it still needs more research and testing before being introduced into the worldwide environment. We are considering its use in a later stage of the Nimiq Blockchain but this is yet to be decided.

What are the parameters of the Nimiq Blockchain?

Block time: 1 minute (inspired by the results of "On the Security and Performance of Proof of Work Blockchains").

Total supply: 21 billion tokens divisible by 10⁵ which accounts for a total suply in smallest units, called luna, of 21e14, identical to Bitcoin.

Block reward: starts with 4965 NIM and is reduced in a curved fashion (inspired in Monero and Cryptonote) proportional to the block height and remaining Nimiq supply. The reward remains constant once a certain block height is reached.

Mining

Can I mine with a Backbone Client?

Yes, any server or device that runs Node.js can mine Nimiq.

How can I get the best setup to mine?

Nimiq Blockchain uses Argon2 as PoW algorithm. Argon2 was designed and optimized to ensure that GPUs or similar processors won't be able to hash a lot faster than regular CPUs. This is achieved by binding mining speed to memory and cache latency instead of processing power, resulting in reduced power consumption on modern CPUs. The best hardware for mining Argon2 is unknown at this point, as optimized miners have not been developed yet.

Can I use the same wallet/account on more than one device?

Yes:

If the account was created using the Nimiq Safe, Nimiq Web Miner or Nimiq Keyguard, you just need to export your account access using the Nimiq Safe and import it into the Nimiq Safe on any other Browser.

If using a Ledger Nano S hardware wallet, the account is stored on the hardware wallet and can be used on multiple computers without the need to export it first.

To mine to the same account using the node miner, it is sufficient to specify the account address in the miner configuration and thus, you don't necessarily have to import the account access.

1. Nimiq Safe is NOT a bank

Nimiq Safe is a user interface

When you create an account on Nimiq Safe you are generating a cryptographic set of numbers: your private key (represented by 24 Account Recovery Words) and your public key (represented by the Account Number).

If you enter your private key on a phishing website, all your funds will be stolen.

4. Use a hardware wallet. Seriously!

A hardware wallet is a very secure and at the same time user friendly way to access your funds.

The private key to your funds is stored on the hardware wallet device itself and never leaves it.

With a hardware wallet your funds are safe, even when connected to an infected or malicious computer.

If you're holding cryptocurrency worth more than a weeks salary we highly recommend to get a hardware wallet. It's worth it!

We recommend the Ledger Nano S which offers an official Nimiq App. Usage instructions can be found here.

5. ALWAYS make sure to start at: https://nimiq.com

Manually type this into your browser's addess bar, check the spelling and bookmark the URL.

The only authorized view that will ever ask you for your Passphrase or 24 Account Recovery Words is triggered by your security relevant actions in the Nimiq Safe that prompt the "Nimiq Keyguard" at https://keyguard.nimiq.com/….

6. Install Cryptonite by Metacert to warn you if you are about to visit a malicious website.

7. Run Nimiq Safe locally and offline.

8. Do not trust messages, addresses, and URLs sent via private message. Always verify information with a secondary source!

Don’t click any link related to crypto, money, banking, or any service like Dropbox, Google Drive, Gmail in any email ever.

And if you nevertheless ended clicking by coincidence, don’t enter any information on the page.

Never enter your private keys, 24 Account Recovery Words, Passphrases or other sensitive data on a website that was sent to or shared with you in whatever way.

9. Turn on 2FA (Two-Factor-Authentication) for everything.

Best you do it right now, convenience is a bad excuse. We recommend Google Authenticator over Authy. Using your phone number is not recommended. Then, make sure your phone number is not tied to your Google account (you will find this in your privacy settings). Otherwise, a potential hacker can get access to your account via that number.

Please note: 2FA is for ensuring the security of your password on a server. For that reason, 2FA does not help using Nimiq Safe as it is client-side only.

Remember to backup words for these 2FA things in a safe place. It's a huge pain when your phone goes for a swim and your entire life is 2FA protected.

10. Double check the URL, triple check GitHub URLs

Always check that you are in the right place by confirming the URL before entering any information. This is especially important for sites that require usernames, passwords, email addresses, private keys, or any other personal information.

SSL certificates do not mean a site is trustworthy, just that they bought an SSL certificate. If you are not sure about the correct URL, cross check it on trusted sites such as Reddit, Twitter, GitHub, Discord or any other place that is officially connected to the project.

GitHub URLs are easy to fake and it's easy not to notice that. Instead of downloading from a random URL posted on Reddit, seek out the URL on your own. Following the developers of these repositories on Twitter, friending them on Reddit, or starring them on GitHub helps to find the right URL faster.

11. Always verify that the site you are visiting is legit.

Especially if you are about to entire your private key or download an application. What is legit? A service that people have used for a decent period of time with good results. If the URL has been registered in the last week or the site "just launched", err on the side of caution or avoid it for a while.

12. Always verify that the Twitter account is legit!

13. Search for the service name + "scam" or "reviews"

Scam sites rarely last long. Value real comments by real people over a random blog. Value a collection of information over a single source. Understand that legit services will likely have a mix of positive and negative reviews over a long period of time. Scam sites typically have no one talking about them, or everyone yelling about how they got robbed, or the most perfect reviews ever. The latter one is just as red of a flag as the first one.

14. Don't run remote-access software (e.g. TeamViewer, VNC, …)

Especially not on a computer that has your private keys because the number of security holes in these programs is atrocious. Also consider that 2FA is worthless if you give anyone access to your entire computer with all it's accounts by entering a simple password.

15. Install an ad blocker that actually removes all ads

We recommend going with uBlock Orgin. If you are using Adblock Plus, be aware that it does not hide Google Ads from you by default. Go into your Adblock Plus settings and uncheck the box that says "Allow some non-intrusive advertising".

16. Don’t click on advertisements

With or without an ad blocker, you should never click on advertisements.

17. If you have accidentally visited a malicious site, clean out your recent history and auto complete.

Having for example visited the malicious site "krakken.com" (with double k), clearing the recent history will safe you from typing "kra…" and having it autocompleted to the malicious "krakken.com" next time again.

18. No one is giving you free or discounted NIM, NET, ETH, BTC or other!

Typical scams involve completing a survey or sharing private information. Always double check you're on a legit site before participating or entrering any information.

21. ONLY unlock your wallet when you want to send a transaction.

22. Lastly: use your brain

Think for a moment. Don't assume, ask. Don't blindly follow, question. If something doesn't seem right, if you feel like the luckiest guy/girl on Earth, or if you find yourself asking "I wonder why I haven't seen this on Reddit yet", there is likely a reason.

Nimiq and its affiliates are not responsible for the content and all risk associated with the use of Community Apps. Community Apps are independently operated and we highly recommend you to research the specific terms and conditions as well as trustworthiness and integrity of each project and it's operators.

Nimiq is an Inuit word for an object or force that binds things together.